“If you really knew Me, you would know My Father, too. But now you do know Him, and you have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.” Jesus answered, “I have been with you a long time now. Do you still not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I Am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you don’t come from Me, but the Father lives in Me and does His own work.”
John 14:7-10 NCV
Are you ready for this revelation? When the world sees us they see Jesus! Well that’s the way it ought to be anyway. Because Jesus lives on the inside of us, in the very same way that the Father lived inside Him, anyone who sees, hears or touches us, should be seeing, hearing and touching Jesus. How can I say that? Let’s read.
“On that day you will know that I Am in My Father, and that you are in Me and I Am in you.”
John 14:20 NCV
If that statement is true, then we can respond to anyone who asks to see Jesus. “You’re looking at Him!” Yes my friends, to see me is to see Jesus. That is, as long as we’re walking in obedience to His Word.
“Those who know My commands and obey them are the ones who love Me, and My Father will love those who love Me. I will love them and will show Myself to them.”
Jesus answered, “If people love Me, they will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them. Those who do not love Me do not obey My teaching. This teaching that you hear is not really Mine; it is from My Father, who sent Me.”
John 14:21, 23-24 NCV
Is it getting clearer? Because we love and obey Them, They have taken up a permanent residence in our lives. Therefore to see me is to see Them. I bear Their resemblance to a seeking world. When Thomas and Phillip enquired as to who the Father was and about where Jesus was going. Jesus drew their attention back to Him. His relationship to the Father was sufficient for their enquiring minds. He said the proof could be found in His submission to the Father as well as the works He had done in the Father’s Name.
Well then, our proof should be the same. How have we been representing Them to the world? If we have been like Jesus in our obedience and commitment, then saying seeing me is seeing Him shouldn’t be a problem. Would the world by following us be following Christ? Would they by observing us, see Him? Are we doing the greater works He promised we would do? Are we articulating His Word in such a way that the hearers know we have been with Jesus? These questions can only be answered by you. But we should always be Jesus with skin on to a seeking heart. No one mistook Jesus for someone else, He was easily identifiable, in the same way no one should mistake us for a sinner, they should be able to identify us by our fruit, by what our lives are producing.
There’s so much compromise taking place in Christendom today, that it would be embarrassing to ask the world to follow us. But since it’s a personal responsibility, to make Him known, we must all endeavor to live our lives in such a way that we can with confidence invite others to see Christ Jesus in us. Jesus said there was another way to see the Father in Him. The evidence of the works He had been doing. This tells me that there’ll be times when talk isn’t enough. We must have a demonstration of what has happened in us.
The ability to pray with and for someone who doesn’t yet know Jesus, and see the manifestation of answered prayer is one way, meeting their physical needs, food, clothing, finances, sheltering, an encouraging word. Doing these acts of kindness especially if unsolicited but Spirit led, are life changing. The question of “how did you know?” Is the perfect opportunity to be Jesus with skin on. Look for ways to be His ears, eyes, hands and feet. He will always meet the desire to represent Him to the world. Jesus went about doing good because God was with Him. We too must go about doing good, because He is with us.
The next time someone says Jesus cannot be seen, that God isn’t real. Introduce yourself to them. Hello! I’m Jesus. To see me , is to see both Father and Son. How can we help you today?
“In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 2:5 NCV
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
April 27, 2021